


What we hear lurking

by Rava0530



Series: Potential series [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Anxiety, Character Death, Dismemberment, Extremely Slow Burn, Family Curses, Family Feels, Fantastic Racism, Gen, Gets a bit fucked up sometimes, Grief/Mourning, Hallucinations, Harassment, Implied Kidnapping, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mind Control, Mind Manipulation, Multi, Panic Attacks, Secrets, Slow Burn, Stalking, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, The occasional bits of fluff, Trust Issues, We don’t actually see it happen but it’s there, i warned you, implied explosions, lying, super powers, yay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2020-04-24 09:11:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19170199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rava0530/pseuds/Rava0530
Summary: After a freak accident leads to tragedy, Jonathan Sanders is left with a dead brother, an over protective sister, and a place in the top team of moderators at the potential Moderation Association(PMA). But weird things start to happen to him and his co workers; detached voices calling, unexplainable uneasiness, figures hidden in the shadows. Something doesn’t seem right about any of this. making Jonathan question everything he knew about the world he lives in.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is something quite ambitious that I’ve been working on for like two years now. This is definitely going to be a long one, and apart of a series so look forward to that. 
> 
> This is cross posted on Wattpad.

“Breaking news: there has been a major explosion in the science department of PMA headquarters in New York.” Jonathan’s stomach dropped the moment he heard those words. His throat tightened with dread as he thought of what this could possibly mean. Of how his siblings are in the PMA at this very moment.

 

He’s not the type to worry. Especially not of his siblings, Olivia and Barry Sanders. They, like the majority of the population, had powers called potential. The only thing that differentiated them from everyone else was the amount of it they had. Barry could electrocute someone to death, and has done it at least three times before. Olivia was able to manipulate water with ease, sending large waves at her enemies with enough force to send you flying. They weren’t ordinary by any means. That didn’t mean they were invulnerable. There’s a very real chance they got hurt, or worse.

 

As the news went on, Jonathan became more and more disturbed. The building was still burning, the science department was basically unsalvageable, and there were 30 found dead already. They weren’t releasing names yet, which Jonathan’s didn’t know weather to be relieved by or not. Sure, not knowing if your brother and sister are dead is not pleasant, but neither is finding that out from the news.

 

He waited for a call. Neither of them would be able to pick up if he called them, either because they were busy helping others, trying to escape a burning building, or, god forbid, one of the growing number of casualties.

 

He didn’t want to think about them being dead, but he had the feeling that it was probably the case. The sanders’ are known for a great deal of things. They are one of the oldest PMA lineages, starting all the way back in the 1600s when they were still residing in Britain. They were prominent players in the world of potential. They were a household name, even to the people who had nothing to do with the PMA. But one thing’s for sure, they were never known to live very long.

 

It was something known as the Sanders’ curse. Anyone with the last name Sanders’ wasn’t expected to live past 35, and that was if you were lucky. None of them had reached that limit, but Olivia, being 32, was astoundingly close. It was a miracle she was still alive. Which is why she probably wasn’t now.

 

Jonathan couldn’t stop fidgeting. He couldn’t stop worrying about Olivia and whether or not she was okay. He could imagine what he would do without his older sister there with him until the end. He couldn’t think of how he and Barry could move on without her. All he wanted was a call to let him know she was fine. But the phone didn’t ring.

 

The anticipation was killing him. He couldn’t handle it anymore. He grabbed his phone off the coffee table and scrolled through his contacts until he got to Olivia. Before pressing call, he hesitated for a second. Neither Olivia nor Barry liked it when he called them during situations like these. He shouldn’t call them. On the other hand, he needed to know Olivia wasn’t dead. He couldn’t wait for them to call this time. He had to know. He made up his mind but before he could press call, Someone beat him to it.

 

He looked at the caller ID and when he saw the name Barry, he didn’t know what to think. Barry was okay, but was Olivia? At this point, he shouldn’t believe that they both got out alive. It might have been naive, but he just had to believe Olivia was okay. She can’t be dead.

 

He answered the phone. “Barry, is Olivia-“ the voice on the other line interrupted him before he could finish. He was surprised to find that the voice didn’t belong to Barry.

 

“Jonny,” Olivia said tearfully. All of the relief he felt from hearing her voice immediately melted as Jonathan registered what all of this meant. Tears welled in his eyes as white hot grief hit him hard.

 

“No,” Jonathan rasped. “No. No no no, please don’t tell me he’s dead.”

 

Olivia let out a heart wrenching sob and all of Jonathan’s fears were confirmed. Everything came to a crashing halt. Barry didn’t make it. His older brother was dead.

 

“I’m on my way.” He hung up and rushed out the door.

* * *

Death was something Olivia was used to. Her parents died when she was 10. All of her aunts and uncles were dead before she even reached 8. Most of her cousins were dead as well by now. She’s attended so many funerals she lost count of them. But nothing could prepare her for this.

 

She’s holding her little brother’s lifeless body in her arms, trenched in his blood. Everything around her faded out as her mind went blank. Numbness took over and the chaos turned to static. 

 

It’s funny. Her whole life she has been told she would be the first to die. She had to fit everything into this limited life span she’s been cursed with. She had to do everything fast or else she’d be left behind. In the meantime she forgot about her family. She forgot that they could die too. That they were subject to the same fate. So now Barry’s dead when it should be her and it’s all her fault.

 

What’s worse is Olivia said she’d keep them safe. She lied to them. How will Jonathan ever be able to look her in the eyes knowing she couldn’t save Barry when she said she would. What kind of sister can’t keep a simple promise.

 

A hand reached down and grabbed Barry. Someone’s trying to take him away. She couldn’t lose him. Not again. She pulled him closer, clinging to him like a lifeline. The person the hand was attached to was saying something, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t hear anything but the mantra in her head: don’t let him go. Over and over again, those four words ring through her mind. It drowned out everything else.

 

Then through the overbearing thoughts in her head came a voice cutting through. “Olivia, you have to let go. He’s going to a better place.” Jonathan. He was here. She looked up to him, taking in the sight. He looked completely fine, as if he didn’t just lose someone dear to him. Olivia never understood how He could do that. She knows he has to be feeling the same, but he never let it show.

 

She trusted Jonathan more than herself at this point. She was incapacitated with grief, but he seemed so put together. He seemed like he had the right answers, and in that moment, Olivia wasn’t in the mindset to question whether he did or not. Reluctantly, she loosened her grip on Barry, letting the people take him away.

 

The empty space between her arms filled her to the brim with dread. That made everything more real. Seeing Barry’s limp body being taken, white sheet draped over him. She would never see him again. Not in this life.

 

She digs through her pocket, finding the phone that she found on Barry. That’s all she has left of him. Tears brimmed in her eyes. A phone isn’t nearly enough to make her feel content. Nothing is. She shouldn’t have to have something to remember him by. She should just have him.

 

Jonathan kneeled down beside her. “Are you hurt?”

 

“Does it really matter?”

 

“Olivia,” he said with a wobbly voice, “Of course it matters. I-I was really scared that you were...I don’t know what I’d do if I lost both-“ he broke down, not able to finish his sentence.

 

That was the breaking point. The dam broke and the tears went free, streaming down her face like waterfalls. She wrapped her arms around Jonathan, squeezing him as tight as she could. “I’m not hurt, Jonathan. I’m not going to leave you. Everything will be fine. I promise.”

 

So there they were. In the middle of chaos, crying while holding each other. She made a vow long ago to keep her brothers safe. She already let Barry down. She won’t make the same mistake twice.

 

She’s going to make this alright, even if she dies trying.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Jonathan looks into the events of that day, things start to seem sketchy. Jonathan is determined to get to the bottom of this, and the only way he can do that is from inside the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah this took a bit to update. I’ll try to be on top but life’s hard. I do have the next couple chapters planned out so thats a plus.

How does one get over death? How do you fill the void left by the person you lost when they are irreplaceable? How can you even begin to live life without them? Despite being through all this many times, Jonathan couldn’t even fathom an answer.

 

The truth is, the world moves on. Even when you don’t. Jonathan can’t dwell on Barry for too long, at least not openly. He has a life to live and a society to participate in. He can’t let his grief get in the way of that. He has to be okay.

 

But then there was therapy. It was a place where he could let out everything he was feeling so he didn’t collapse on himself. In a world where it seems like no one cares, you pay someone to listen and work you through it.

 

There was a time when he thought it was stupid. What kind of a person would bare their deepest vulnerabilities to a stranger? It sounded insane. But then with Barry and the stress of everything going on, he just couldn’t keep up. He definitely wasn’t going to tell someone he actually knew. That sounded even scarier than the stranger. So he booked a session with a therapist nearby and started attending. Jonathan likes to believe it’s helping him. That would be a complete waste of money if it wasn’t.

 

But there was always something that sat badly with Jonathan about Barry’s death. He didn’t know what it was, but it just didn’t feel right.

 

He sat across from a woman with a gentle smile on her face in a nice, well decorated room. The walls were painted a light green color that was pleasant to the eye. The white couches were placed in a way that appeared casual despite the fact that this was a professional space. The intent was clearly to make guests feel comfortable, and by all means it worked.

 

“Dr. Drew,” he started, a pit of nerves settling in his stomach, “I have a concern about Barry’s death.”

 

She leaned closer, letting Jonathan know that she’s listening. “What concerns?”

 

Jonathan paused to think of how he should phrase it. He didn’t want to sound too paranoid. “Well, I- it doesn’t really… sit right with me.”

 

“How so?”

 

“I feel like something’s missing. I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to wrap my mind around how any of this could have happened. I know for a fact that an accident like that is highly unlikely at the PMA. They train the employees there to no end. Anyone careless enough to make a mistake like that with chemicals wouldn’t be hired in the first place. I don’t understand.”

 

She made a note of what Jonathan said, letting out a confirmative humm. “Well, Jonathan,” she looked up at him, “I believe your problem has to do with closure. It might have to do with how sudden the events occurred. It’s natural to feel lost or confused.

 

“If you’re comfortable with it, I suggest you look into what happened yourself. Ask your sister, look up interviews, anything that can get you an explanation as to why all of this happened.”

 

And so he does. He goes to the internet and looks up articles on the explosion. That’s when things started to get strange.

 

They always say there’s three versions of a story. Well here it looks like there’s fifty. There are so many contradictory accounts it’s shocking that it hasn’t been commented on very much. Some people claim the perpetrator was in the room when it happened, some people say they left long before it happened to let it settle. In every retelling, the room number was never kept consistent. There were even instances of people thinking they saw someone hurt when they were not on the casualty list. The only thing similar about these accounts was the vague way they described the events as if it was a foggy memory.

 

After hours of searching, Jonathan came to the conclusion that They were all hiding something.

 

He wasn’t exactly surprised that the PMA would mandate people to lie about something. They weren’t always the most reliable source of information. If it made them look bad, they would twist it to make it seem like an accident.

 

Which means they’re probably responsible for all of this.

 

Jonathan wasn’t going to sit around for answers anymore. He’d done enough of that to know that nothing will come of it. The only real chance he has to find the truth is to get a closer look.

 

He had to join the PMA.

* * *

Olivia was always tired. Even more so, she was always working.  She thought of it as a good thing. The more tired she grew the sooner she can get the day done with. The more she worked the less time she had to let her mind wander to unsavory places. It kept her from being completely overwhelmed by grief, and that’s exactly what she needed.

 

 So every day she stayed late at work. Every day she took on everything she could possibly manage. She scheduled training sessions with her subordinates more often, as well as setting more time aside for herself to train. She always went on patrol with whoever else was scheduled. On some occasions, she even took on others paperwork. She was always doing something.

 

 Just like every day, she walked through the door, exhausted after a long day at work. She was met with the familiar off white walls, dingy brown couches and the ugly rug in the middle of it all acting as a centerpiece. The same as every day for three months. 

 

 But unlike everyday, Jonathan was cooking dinner.

 

 It’s something he’s stopped doing after Barry died. The two would just eat instant meals instead, not wanting to serve food for two when there should have been three. Maybe this was a sign of healing? She honestly didn’t know how he was doing, considering he doesn’t talk to her about it.

 

 Jonathan looked away from what he was making to look at her. “How was work?”

 

 “Busy as usual,” she replied half heartedly. It was a conversation starter that he always used despite the fact that it never went anywhere. 

 

 He directed  his gaze back to the food. “Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes.”

 

 She watched him as he cooked. His short, dirty blond hair was a little less neat than he usually kept it. Other than that, he seemed fine. As if he hadn’t been avoiding making real food for weeks.

 

 “Is everything okay?” He asked. Apparently, Olivia was not as discreet as she thought she was.

 

“Yeah it’s just… I didn’t think you were going to cook.”

 

 “I just thought you would like it. I know work’s been keeping you late.” 

 

“Well,” she started, not sure what to say to that, “what are you making?”

 

“Split pea soup.”

 

The only one who liked split pea soup was her. It then dawned on her what this was. “Jonny, if you want to tell me something just sit me down. You don’t have to make an entire meal you’re not even going to eat.”

 

Jonathan let out a sharp breath as he looked over at Olivia, brown eyes sharper than the first time. “You’re working too much.”

 

She was startled by the bluntness of his statement. “...What?”

 

“You heard me,” he said. Turning the stove off and walking out into the small living room. “You’re working too much.”

 

Olivia’s shock turned into annoyance. “Oh, I’m sorry, I was just trying to keep us afloat now that we’re down one.”

 

Something flickered in his eyes when she mentioned Barry, but it was gone as soon as it came. He reverted back to his serious gaze. “We both know that’s not the only reason.”

 

Jonathan was a pain in the ass, but he wasn’t stupid. Of course he knew what she was doing. Anyone who knew her knew what she was doing. But it’s not as if he was any better. At least she tried to cope.

 

“I’m fine, thank you very much.”

 

“Oh yeah, you’re fine. You’re barely home and when you are you’re exhausted. That doesn’t sound fine to me. This isn’t fucking healthy, Olivia!”

 

“I never said it was!” She was yelling now. “It just helps, okay? I’m sorry we can’t all be perfectly normal like you.”

 

He looked at her with wide eyes, and she knew she took it a step too far. “You think I’m- You know what? No. I’m not here to tell you how to live your life, I just want to help you.”

 

“And how are you going to do that?”

 

“I want you to hire me..”

 

She stopped. Since when did Jonathan ever want to be involved with the PMA? She’s always pestered him about what it would mean to her if she worked alongside her and Barry, but he’d always say that it wasn’t for him. Really she should be happy about this.

 

That’s the thing though, she can’t be. He could get dangerously hurt working at the PMA. He could end up like Barry. She can’t have that happen again.

 

“No.”

 

“No? Why not?”

 

“You aren’t powerful enough.” The words felt cruel on her tongue. Words she heard other people throw at him, but never Olivia. 

 

He seemed to feel the same way. He kept his eyes anywhere but on her, the h“That’s not what you said before.”

 

“That was then, this is now.”

 

“Please? I don’t even have to do all the dangerous stuff. You can train me before hand. I just want to help you. If you keep going on the way you are, you’ll destroy yourself.”

 

 He’s right. She probably will end up destroying herself, but if that’s the price she has to pay, she’ll gladly do it. Jonathan’s the most important thing right now, and Olivia’s not letting him die. “You know what my answer is. I’m not changing my mind.”

 

Jonathan stood there silent for a long while. He looked so defeated. It was hard for her to keep her resolve, but Olivia could manage. This was all for him. She had to remember that.

 

Jonathan turned away and stamped out of the living room. No words were needed to get his point across; he didn’t want to see her right now. Olivia understands. He can be as angry with her as he wants. She doesn’t regret anything she said.

 

All alone, Olivia made her way into the kitchen and turned the stove on. She wasn’t going to ignore the split pea soup Jonathan started making. It would be a waste of food.

* * *

 Jonathan had to use all his energy not to slam the door. He grit his teeth to keep him from screaming out of pure frustration. His face felt hot from the anger that came with his lack of control. 

 

Why? Why would Olivia of all people deny him this? This was all she wanted his entire life and now she changed her mind? In the heat of the moment, he took a pillow lying on his bed and flung it to the floor. 

 

He wasn’t powerful enough, she said. Just like everyone around him, she thought he was weak. He wasn’t good enough for this. Tears gathered in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away. He won’t cry over this. That would prove them right.

 

Deep breaths. He had to calm himself down before he did something stupid. He Had no need to be this worked up about any of this. It will all be fine. He kept telling himself this until he regained control of his emotions 

 He couldn’t help the shame bubbling inside him after that emotional outburst. Of course Olivia wouldn’t hire him. Who would want to hire a weak, immature child?

 

He had to be better than that. If he wanted closure, he needed to be stronger. He knew what he had to do.

 

he walked out of his room, through the hallway, and into the living room. Olivia was sitting on the couch in front of the TV eating the split Pea soup he hadn’t finished. She looked over to him. “Are you done being mad at me?”

 

”I want you to train me,” Jonathan said.

 

Olivia raises a brow. “What?”

 

”You said I wasn’t powerful enough, so train me.” 

 

She he looked up in contemplation. Nerves built up inside of him. What exactly was he going to do if she said no? There wasn’t many options for him besides this one. 

 

After a long while, she looked back at him, coming to a decision. “I’ll take you up on that.”

 

he couldn’t Control the smile spreading across his face. “Thank y-“

 

“-On one condition,” she interrupted. Just like that the smile fell. “You have to train in a secure, fail-safe room.”

 

 “Where am I going to find that?”

 

Olivia smirked. “How about the one at the PMA?”

 

It was his turn to be shocked. “But I thought-“

 

 “you won’t be working there. No payment involved, but it’s nice to have you around so I can make sure you don’t do something stupid while I’m away. It’s probably the safest option besides just not training you.”

 

”That option would be easier.”

 

”Yeah,” Olivia said, “but I think I’ve made you angry enough today. It’s not very fun being the bad guy, you know.”

 

This was it. This was his chance to find out what was happening. Everything was smooth sailing from here. The smile came back to his face and for the first time after Barry died, he felt genuine happiness. He pulled Olivia in for a hug. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.” 

 

He made sure to cling on to this happiness for as long as he could.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally Jonathan’s first day of training. Along the way he meets new people and learns the general order around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I know that you can tell from the tags that this is gonna get real really quickly, but Since from here on out this fic is only going to get worse in terms of no good very bad things happening, I thought it was a good time to warn you again. I would like to clarify some tags that I included:
> 
> There will be absolutely no graphic depictions of rape/non con in this fic. It will only be talked about vaguely. 
> 
> I cannot say the same thing for the abuse tag. There will be instances where abuse is shown in ways of hallucinations. 
> 
> Most of the violence will be in hallucinations. However, they will most likely be graphic. Some can get pretty gory so be warned. Nothing about these hallucinations are pleasing. 
> 
> Please please please don’t read this if these topics make you uncomfortable. My story is not worth that. Thanks for reading.

Staring at the building ahead of him, Jonathan was in awe. He had never actually seen the PMA in his life despite his family’s employment to the organization. He only had what he heard to go off of. 

 

The PMA was even worse than he imagined.

 

 He did not get it. Why in the everloving hell would anyone want to work here. The building looked cold and desolate. There wasn’t anymore life to the exterior than there was in a rock. With cement walls and blacked out windows, it looked too much like a prison to bring any comfort that Jonathan could hold onto. 

 

That isn’t anything compared to the science department building though. What once was a building about the same size and appearance right next to the main PMA department was now decimated. He’s only ever seen the effects of the explosion on the news, and even then he wasn’t really paying attention to the screen at the time. It looked unreal, as if someone ripped it right from a movie screen. It was painful to look at. When he saw the building he saw Barry. But in a way, it spurred him on. He had to do this.

 

This place was the closest he could get to getting any answers. Jonathan had to constantly remind himself of that, as to not throw himself out of the car right then and there. He could do this. He’s been through worse. He thinks.  
  


Glancing over to Olivia, he saw the dark, droopy bags under her eyes. Olivia not getting enough sleep was not a new problem, but never has it been this apparent. Whether she realizes this is anyone’s guess but certainly no one else could overlook something so blatant. Part of Jonathan wanted to say something, But it wouldn’t do any good. He knows Olivia enough to know that this spiral downwards is best dealt with by waiting it out. There’s no need to try and fix her. She’ll adjust soon enough.

 

The pair of siblings drove around the corner into the parking lot. Parking in her assigned spot, Olivia, for the first time since they left, acknowledged Jonathan. “This is it.”

 

Jonathan unbuckled his seat belt. “How exciting.”

 

“Don’t be so snarky,” she said, cut off a bit as she exited the car, “You’re the one who wanted to do this.”

 

Can’t argue with that logic.

 

“Now,” she started walking and Jonathan followed, “My colleague Micheal and I are going to show you around the building, introduce you to people, get your PEDs taken care off, stuff like that. I need you to promise me not to make any trouble.”

 

“Relax, Oliva. I’m not five.” 

  
“Well, it’s hard to tell sometimes.” 

 

In all honesty,  Jonathan didn’t mind this part too much. He may not want anything to do with the PMA, but from everything he’s heard, this place is home to many stories told to him by Barry and Olivia. 

 

Micheal in particular was a very common source of stories, usually describing just how great he was. He was almost like a legend. Stories of how he found children on the side of the road, and how he saved kids from horrible situations, always giving them a place to stay and a chance for a steady future. Some of these kids went and did their own thing, but others are still there working in the same building as him. He was the epitome of  all that was good in the world. According to Olivia, at least.

 

There were many other stories featuring many other faceless names. He probably couldn’t recall them all if he tried. It really was an eventful place.

 

They walked into the building and he’ll give the PMA this; it looks a lot better inside than out. There was a warmer air to the inside. People were walking the halls, conversing and rushing to get to the next meeting in time. There were people on break in lounge areas, calmly enjoying their time off. There was something that felt just a bit welcoming without losing it’s sense of professionalism. It could definitely be worse.

 

“Olivia!’ A warm, deep voice called out to them. Jonathan turned to see a man. An older man, maybe in his 50s if the graying hair was any indicator. He wasn’t tall, but what he lacked in height he certainly made up for in stature. He had the appearance of looking strong, like he was actively keeping in shape. It wasn’t intimidating though. There was still something very welcoming to him. Maybe it was the big smile, or the bright eyes, or maybe it was both. 

 

As the man was making his way to them, Olivia met him halfway, shaking his hand in greeting.“Micheal, how are you?” 

 

“Everything is perfectly fine here. If anything I should be asking you that. How is everything holding up for you at home?”

 

The pity again. Michael might be coming from a good place, but that didn’t stop the way the frustration bubbled in him. He took a breath, this wasn’t the place to get upset. This was bad enough already.

 

“It’s fine,” Olivia said, placing a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder and pulling him closer. “It’s been hard, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”

  
Micheal’s eyes fell onto Jonathan. “So I take it you’re Jonathan then?” He held his hand out. “Put it there, son.” Jonathan shook his hand in return. Micheal enthusiastically shook back, using both his hands. “As I’m sure you’ve already figured out, I’m Micheal Peterson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

 

Jonathan plastered a large smile on his face. “The pleasure is all mine, sir,” he said, releasing his hand from Micheal's firm grip. “It is to my understanding that I will be shown around today, is that correct?”

 

“He’s quite the polite one, eh Olivia?” He chuckled.

  
“You think so now,” Olivia joined in, “but you haven’t seen him at home.”

 

The two laughed. Jonathan felt uncomfortable, not appreciating being the butt of the joke for being polite.

 

Michael seemed to notice this when he calmed down. “You don’t need to be so formal,” he said in a reassuring tone. “You aren’t working for me. Hell, no one I work with is that formal.” he chuckled again. It was even more jarring than before. Michael stopped laughing abruptly as he realized this wasn’t going anywhere.

  
“Think of me as a friend of your sister,” Michael said, patting Jonathan on the back and flashing a reassuring smile His way. 

 

Jonathan looked down, face heating up. He did that a lot, act all formal. Usually people responded well to it, but this just felt like mockery. Had he made a fool of himself? It was only the first day meeting this man of legends and he’s already screwed it up.  He tried to repress the embarrassment and smiled again at Micheal. “I’m sorry, sir.”

 

Micheal just stared at Jonathan for moment. Did he mess up? Did he do something wrong again? Jonathan was about to ask when Olivia beat him to it. “Are you alright, Micheal?” 

 

Michael blinked, and his face morphed into an apologetic smile. “No no, it’s alright. It’s just… you remind me very much of someone. It was like I was looking right at him.”

 

How was Jonathan supposed to take that? Whether it be because of how it was said, or just Jonathan’s own mind playing him, he wasn’t assured that it was a good thing.

  
This just  kept getting worse. The more Michael tried to recover the conversation, the worse Jonathan felt. Since when did Jonathan become so easily embarrassed? Why did he care so much? He couldn’t answer that at the moment. All he could do is try and salvage this before it became too weird.

 

“Well, I’m flattered,” Jonathan said, trying he hardest to ignore the awkwardness that has been this entire conversation.

 

  
“yeah uh that’s- that’s good...” Michael said absently. He seemed almost distracted. He snapped out of it quickly enough and changed the subject immediately. “So anyway, I think we should go ahead and start the tour.”

 

Thank goodness for that. The tension released all at once from Jonathan’s shoulders, and he finally relaxed a bit. They started to walk out of the main entrance as Michael and Olivia began to show him around. All Jonathan could hope for was for everything else to go at least slightly better than that encounter had.   
  


given his luck, that wasn’t likely.

* * *

as Olivia was following Michael and Jonathan, her mind couldn’t help but to linger on what just happened.   
  


It was strange, for both men really. It had literally only been about a minute into their first meeting, and then that horribly awkward tension between the two of them appeared. It wasn’t even there for long, but it certainly stuck with her.

  
Michael was one thing. With the amount of kids he’s dealt with, it’s not surprising that Jonathan’s troubling behavior would remind him of someone else. It threw him off guard, but it would hardly be the first time someone reacted less than favorably to Michael teasing them.

 

But Jonathan? Jonathan almost never reacts like that to anything. Especially not so openly. It wasn’t as if he didn’t try to hide it, but he so obviously couldn’t. That’s never been the case for her brother before. Frankly, she found it concerning.

  
The more she thought about it, the more she remembered all the other times Jonathan has acted in such a way since Barry died. Could that be it? Could it all just be grief? She had a feeling it was something more though, she just couldn’t put her finger on it.

 

She flinched as someone touched her shoulder. “Olivia?” She looked to her side to see Jonathan, looking at her with worried eyes. “You good? You were kind of zoning out there.”

 

she blinked. “Yeah. I guess I was just on autopilot for a second there.”

 

Michael, on the other side of her, interjected. “Is something wrong?”

 

No. No, it’s fine.” She shook her head. “I just have a lot on my mind.”  
  


Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. What ever he’s thinking, it can wait for later. They had a tour to go through.

 

”Well, come on then,” she said, walking passed them to get to their first destination. Surely enough, the two men followed.


End file.
